HUNTER New England Health has reported 885 new cases of COVID-19 in the local health district in the latest reporting period, which spans the 24 hours to 4pm on Saturday.
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HNEH reported on Sunday there were 33 people receiving care for COVID-19 in hospitals across the district, as well as three people in intensive care units. It also reported the death of man in his 80s from Tamworth.
Read more: NSW records 21 deaths and 5582 COVID cases
Hunter New England's 885 new cases are the most of any local health district in the state, followed by South Western Sydney with 693 and Western Sydney with 643.
The district's 885 new cases were detected in 249 positive PCR tests and 636 positive rapid antigen tests.
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NSW's 5582 new cases in the period were detected in 1716 positive PCR tests and 3866 positive RATs.
NSW recorded 21 deaths across the state in the latest reporting period: 15 men and six women. There are 1280 COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals, including 77 people in intensive care, 35 who require ventilation.
Meanwhile, school students and staff will each be given eight rapid antigen test kits to use when "necessary so they have peace of mind".
The state government said the kits would be distributed in two drops to families and staff members to use at their discretion.
The government last month gave families and staff enough kits for two tests a week for the first four weeks of term.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said RATs had played an important part in enabling the safe return of students to classrooms.
"We are therefore providing every student and staff member across the state with another eight RATs for them to use at their discretion when they consider necessary, following a four week program of surveillance testing," he said.
"The packs are there for families and staff to use at their discretion for their own peace of mind, for example, when a student is feeling unwell with a sore throat or cough, or if family members are sick."
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said more than 90 per cent of parents used the provided RATs.
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